Sid's jottings

• Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on if this year is feeling different from past seasons: "It does, and you know even more than just the words that are coming out, because it's great for people to be able to envision it and then speak those things into existence, but also put the work in. Everything hasn't been perfect, but the one thing I like is guys right here are working hard and they're putting their best foot forward to improve."

• One of the biggest surprises so far in Vikings offseason workouts has been tight end David Morgan, who came from Texas-San Antonio, a program that only began play in 2011. Morgan, a sixth-round pick, could be a surprise when the 53-man roster is announced. He is big at 6-4 and 265 pounds and has caught everything thrown at him.

• Charlie Dowdle was a Division III All-America tight end for St. Thomas and now is trying to make it in the NFL after being invited to Chicago Bears rookie minicamp. A native of Glenview, Ill., the 6-4, 238-pound Dowdle caught 40 passes for 842 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2015.

• Construction of the new Gophers athletics facilities are on schedule, and if you walk down 15th Avenue SE you can see immense progress on the new football practice facility. The word is that the University of Minnesota has raised money beyond the $80 million available when Beth Goetz was named interim athletic director. Meanwhile, it will take a good selling job by new AD Mark Coyle to keep Goetz on the staff, because she has several offers and most of them are more attractive than the position she held when Norwood Teague was fired last year.

• Former Gophers men's basketball forward Trevor Mbakwe and his wife and child have made their home in Tel Aviv, where he is playing for Maccabi in Israel. The team has advanced to the Israeli League semifinals and Mbakwe is averaging 8.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.0 minutes per game.

Sid Hartman is a sports columnist. He also can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. Follow @SidHartman

Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr is one of only three defensive players without a multiyear contract but said, "I'm trying to get better and keep growing with this team, and hopefully accomplish some big things."

Pohlad knows fans might have questioned the moves the club made at the trade deadline, as the Twins dealt away five players from the major league roster. But more important to Pohlad is what is happening behind the scenes.